Brace for piano-string frames



-2 Sheets-Sheet l.. l

(No Model.)

J. JAWORSKY. BRAGB PoR PIANO STRING FRAMES.

Patented Mar. .11, 1890.

Jay-2.

WIT/VESSES:

ATTDHIVEYS.

(No Model.)

J. JAWORSKY. v BRAGE FOR PIANO STRING FRAMES.

Patented Mar'. 11, 1890.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Urlo/Mfrs.

' UNITED YSTATES' PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN JAlVORSKY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BRACE FOR PIANO-STRING FRAMESl SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 423,163, dated March 11, 1890.

Application filed May 7, 1889. Serial No. 309,918. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

- Be it known that I, JOHN JAwoRsKY, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Brace for Piano String Frames, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the construction of piano-string frames, the object of the invention being to provide for the support of the strings in a manner such that they will retain the pitch to which they have been tuned, but will be held with a certain amount of elasticity, whereby a rich, full, mellow tone will be secured.

To the end named the invention consists, essentially, of an iron brace arranged for use in connection with a wooden frame, such brace being of novel construction, as will be hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure lis a face View of a frame embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view thereof, the view being taken on line oc a; of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating the connection between one of the braces and the Wrest-plank. Fig. 4 is a rear view of the frame, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional elevation on line y y of Fig. et.

In the drawings, 10 and 10iL represent the end braces, to the faces of which braces the Wrestsplank 1l is connected by dowels el, the lower ends of the braces 10 and l0n being tenoned to fit in mortises formed in the sill 12. In order that the wrest-plank 1l may be held against any undue yielding incident to the st-rain to which it is subjected by reason of the tension imparted to the strings, I provide iron braces 20, formed with upper forwardly extending lips 21, upon which the wrestplank fits, and with lower forwardlyextending lips 22, which rest upon and eX- tend in advance of the sill l2. The braces 20 are centrally divided to form vertical lengths a and a', and are formed with upwardly-extending tongues 23, that are slotted to provide for the passage of the retaining-bolts 24;, the lower ends of the braces being connected to the sill by bolts 25, the heads of said bolts resting between the two bracey members a and a', and these bolts 25 serve to hold the pinplate 26 in place. To prevent any vertical displacement of the pinplate, I provide said plate with a lip 27, which bears against the under sides of the brace-lips 22.

The sounding-board `30 is secured to the end braces 10, and extends in advance of the braces 2O and intermediate wooden braces which are arranged in the spaces between the iron braces. OrdinarilyI prefer to locate an iron brace 20 adjacent to the braces IO and 10, to then provide intermediate wooden braces 31, then to locate a central wooden brace, and upon each side of the. central wooden brace to place two iron braces. The tuning-pegs are secured to the wrest-plank in the ordinary manner.

Such a frame as the one above described renders the use of the rigid cast-iron plate unnecessary, and thus leaves the soundingboard free to respond to the vibrations of the strings, and as the strings are supported at their upper ends by wood I secure a certain amount of pliability and elasticity which is not obtained when an iron frame is used, and yet by bracing the wooden frame in the manner described I provide for the retention of the pitch to which the piano has been tuned, and secure a piano that is sweet, rich, and powerful in tone and of line singing quality.

Having thus described my invention, I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent-L 1. A brace for pianofranies, formed with upper and lower lips and with an upwardlyextending slotted tongue, substantially as described.

- 2. rlhe combination, with the wrest-plank, wooden braces, and sill of a piano-frame, of a brace formed with lips or flanges upon which the Wrest-plank rests, and with flanges which extend outward beyond the sill, substantially as described.

3. In a piano-string frame, the combina tion, with the Test-plank, sill, and Wooden braces, of metallic braces formed with lips, upon which the Wrest-plank rests, and with a lip 22, which projects forward beyond the sill, and a metallic pin-plate formed with a lip or flange, which bears against the under 1o sides of the brace-lips, substantially as described.

JOHN JAWORSKY. Witnesses:

HARLAN CRANDALL, REMSEN RUsHMoRE. 

